What is the issue?
Over the past decades, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS+), also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) – or ‘drones’ as they are more commonly known – have been introduced in increasing numbers across many nations and military services. Today, anyone can buy a remote-controlled aircraft and use it in civil airspace. The commercial advantages and possibilities of UAS/RPAS seem almost unlimited. Because of decreasing costs, even the recreational user will become a new participant in the airspace.
However, given the shape and size of drones, they might not be visible to other traffic, especially when speed is taken into account. UAS/RPAS – even the light ones below 1kg – can cause immense damage to helicopters, the impact of damage to fixed-wing commercial aircraft is not yet evaluated. The potential safety and security risks are immense, and the safety and security aspects of integrating UAS/RPAS into the airspace need to be carefully addressed by regulators.
Why is the issue important?
ECA is concerned about a potential degradation of the existing high level of aviation safety when considering the integration of UAS/RPAS in shared airspace. This is due to the limitations and properties of UAS/RPAS and their pilots and especially the widespread lack of knowledge about manned low level operations.
It must always be the case that real people, whether in the air or on the ground, have their safety prioritised over the ability or right to operate a drone.
When integrating UAS/RPAS into the airspace, some key issues need to be addressed by regulators, i.e. the vulnerabilities of these technologies, the fragmented regulatory frameworks in Europe and across the world, the licensing standards and the safety and security aspects of integrating UAS/RPAS into airspace, let alone privacy and liability issues.
How is ECA involved?
In 2014, ECA created a dedicated RPAS Working Group (WG) which gathered experts in the field of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. The name of the group was changed to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Plus (UAS+) WG in 2020. Their expertise is instrumental in providing input for regulators (i.e. to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the expert group working on developing regulatory framework for UAS in Europe).
In 2025, ECA work on UAS/RPAS is transforming once again.
At the moment, EASA and the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS), as well as the European Commission and SJU are the main European interlocutors for ECA regarding RPAS. In addition, ECA is actively monitoring and participating in numerous meetings at the international level on UAS/RPAS.
Pilot2Pilot
In April 2015, ECA released its first Position Paper on Airborne threats of Low Level Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) which offers the pilot’s view on the integration of light RPAS in low-level airspace by both the professional and the recreational user. A follow up Position Paper published in July 2015 – The RPAS ‘Open Category’ in EASA’s Concept of Operations for Drones – describes the position of Europe’s professional pilots on the standards and rules necessary for the safe use of drones in EASA’s ‘Open’ category'. Since then, ECA RPAS experts have contributed actively to the work of EASA’s technical groups on UAS (RMT.0230) as well as the Informal High Level Commission Expert Group on Drones.
An important element of discussion on unmanned aircraft is the issue of responsibility, qualifications and training of the unmanned aircraft pilots. In order to bring the two worlds (manned and unmanned piloting) closer together and exchange ideas, while identifying common challenges and trends, ECA organised a workshop among manned and unmanned pilots in autumn 2017, the ‘Pilot2Pilot workshop’. The workshop was aimed at gathering drone, fixed-wing & helicopter pilots together, and produced interesting conclusions, e.g. that drone, airline & helicopter pilots have much more in common than just the same airspace, and that both professional unmanned and airline pilots do meticulous pre-flight preparations, assess the environment and focus on ensuring and executing a safe flight. The role of a pilot in command is the same regardless of aircraft: managing risk and controlling the aircraft safely.
Pilot2Pilot workshop, Brussels 2017
Who is responsible?
- Staff member: Paulina MARCICKIEWICZ (FSO) & Loïc MICHEL (ATMA)
- Working Group: part of Air Traffic Management & Airports (ATMA WG) and Flight Standards & Operations (FSO WG)
